The paper shamrocks were sold from Feb. 11 through March 17 in PS Food Mart c-stores in south central Michigan and Toledo, Ohio, the report stated. The funds will be used to support MDA services in the area, in an effort to help children and adults who have been diagnosed with the neuromuscular diseases covered by MDA, according to the report. The group's summer camp is designed for children between the ages of 6 and 21 at Camp Cavell on Lake Huron, the newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, another convenience chain -- the 12-unit SavOn stores operated by the Oneida Indian Nation in Oneida and Madison counties in New York -- raised nearly $14,000 for the MDA through the sales of the shamrocks, the Oneida Dispatch reported.

The chain's Canastota, N.Y., store led the campaign, providing $3,611 to the total. Within that store, cashier Josephine White sold the most $5 gold and $1 green shamrocks, and raised $897, the report stated.

The chain's fundraising effort began with a Go for the Gold theme, where for the first week, only the $5 shamrocks were sold. During the last week of the campaign, the stores also sold green bead necklaces for $1, which tied in with St. Patrick's Day celebrations, the report stated.

The donation, which is a third larger than last year's campaign, will be used to help children attend the MDA's summer camp, the report stated.

This year's campaign marks the sixth year the SavOn stores participated to raise money for the MDA. Since its start in 2003, the SavOn stores have raised about $62,000 -- which would send nearly 100 children to the summer camp, according to the report.